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Sunday, February 4, 2018

Undying Love A Secrets of Roseville Novel by Betty Bolte'

Meredith Reed stared at the plantation home she’d inherited from a grandmother she hadn’t
seen in years. A pair of ancient live oaks, the inspiration for the Twin Oaks name, guarded either
side of the sprawling two-story brick dwelling, providing shade and funneling cool air through the
house. Sunlight filtered through the Spanish moss draped on the massive limbs. Meredith raised
one hand to shield the glare as she scanned the façade. The

architect in her appreciated the
symmetry of the Greek Revival style as well as the quality workmanship of the brickwork.
“It really hasn’t changed. Not much.”
She studied the once-elegant antebellum house, its wide front steps missing a brick here and
there, its six elaborate Corinthian columns and intricately carved woodwork surrounding the
double doors. The property description listed ten bedrooms, four bathrooms dating from the early
twentieth century, a gourmet kitchen, two parlors, an upstairs ballroom, and several outbuildings. “It’s a real treasure.” The estate lawyer, Max Chandler, who had driven her out to the four-hundred-acre
property, had barely spoken during the entire trip except to relay pertinent details of
the surprise inheritance, including the fact she had also inherited her grandmother’s sizable and
diversified investment account.
She’d have preferred to drive her own car, especially since he drove one of those redneck
pickup trucks. Sitting in a vehicle with an attractive man set her teeth on edge. Worrying about
what might happen tensed every muscle in her body. He also didn’t need to know how edgy being
with him made her, as if her skin burned the closer he drew. But he’d insisted until she ungraciously
relented. She picked her fights, and that one wasn’t worth the effort. The rolling Tennessee
countryside had flowed past the window, immense fields dotted with horses and cows. Green
shoots poked through the tilled earth in rows, reaching for the early spring sunshine. She’d noticed
her surroundings automatically, but none of the hauntingly familiar sights held her interest. Once
she no longer sat in the unfamiliar truck, her tense muscles eased, and she drew a deep breath as
she studied the building.
Why on earth had her grandmother, whom she hadn't seen in nearly ten years, chosen her to
receive the grandiose house that stood for everything she would never have? The family she could
never have? Pain combined with a deep-seated longing blossomed in her chest. Three front steps
led up to a brick porch with its immense white columns announcing to passersby that the building
was more than a house. Unlike the small, boxy ranchers and nondescript houses they’d passed on
the drive to the plantation, this structure cried out for a large family. Her parents had often carried
her and her sister Paulette from Memphis to visit Grandma when she was a child. Back when love
and laughter echoed through the many rooms. A great blue heron fished in the two-acre lake in
front of the house, where they had once splashed and played. The huge yard, graced with several
shade trees—

the site of barbecues and softball games, with the extended family arguing over who
potentially cheated or whooping with glee when a good shot was made—now stood silent,
accusing her of neglect and indifference.
So be it. She stiffened her spine. She would not wallow in self-pity nor give in to the
temptation to hug her arms around her waist and cry. She squinted at the glare from the windows
nestled into the brick walls, noting the ivy climbing up one front corner. Willy would want her to
move on, build a new life, but she couldn’t. Not yet. Even after a year, the grief and anger stewed
in her brain, sizzled in her veins, and throbbed in her heart.
“Shall we go inside?” Max leaned his tall frame against the hood of the green F-150 pickup,
arms folded, his curiosity evident in his expression.
The color of his eyes as he waited for her response reminded her of the crystal blue of glacier
ice, and that thought evoked the bittersweet memory of her and Willy on their honeymoon trip to
Alaska. The glorious clear sky that day had created a perfect backdrop to the pod of whales they
watched blowing. She heard again the cry of eagles as they soared majestically above the
surrounding mountains. The trip of her life with the love of her life. Back when they had their
entire lives stretching before them, full of promise and hope. The weight of her wedding band drew
her attention for a moment. She refused to remove it and lose the last connection she had with her
husband. Her phone buzzed in her pocket, breaking the spell of Max’s intent gaze. She fished the
contraption out and glanced at the screen before answering. “Hey Buddy, what’s up?” “Just letting you know the Murphy job is put to bed.” Her boss’s brusque, businesslike voice
helped her focus, steady her breathing. “That’s good news. I left it ready to close out.”
Buddy coughed and cleared his throat. “I only had to smooth out the final walk-through.”
A chill spread through her at his words and the tone of his voice. “What do you mean? It was
all set up and ready to rock and roll.” “Don’t worry about it. I took care of it.” She bet. Like he always did. With the end result a mess she had to sort back out again.”

A flash of blue in an upstairs window drew her attention, and she peered at the pane. Blinked
away the lingering image. An illusion. A pair of turkey buzzards spiraling high above reflected off
the window, wings outstretched so that the tips of their feathers stood out against the sky. Bringing
home memories of how she used to pretend to be dead to lure them in, and then jump up and scatter
them on the breeze. Memories she couldn’t afford to resurrect. Her stay in the rural community of
Magnolia Grove, Tennessee, would last no more than a month, maybe two, tops. She could survive
that long.
“Fine. I’ll follow up with her when I get back to Maryland.”
Meredith ended the call and slipped her phone back into her pocket as Max pushed off from
his spot near the front of the truck. “What is it you do again?” Max aimed mirrored sunglasses in her direction.
“I’m an architect.” She slid her purse strap more securely onto her shoulder. She snatched the
manila folder off the hood of the vehicle, a file Max had handed to her at his office. Inside were
copies of the legal papers he’d reviewed with her across his massive mahogany desk. “Why?” “Your grandmother said you were the perfect heir for this property.” He let his gaze drift away
from her to scan the hundreds of acres of fields and trees, across the lake, and on to the various
outbuildings surrounding the plantation house.
A circle of trees nearly hid the old gazebo from view, but they couldn’t stop the surge of
memories of afternoons spent with her sister playing under its roof. Glimpses of white painted
boards and black wrought-iron trim appeared through the dense branches and limbs sprouting with
new growth.
Meredith dropped her attention to the folder, severing the thread of the past, and turned a page
without reading it. Why did Max care what she did? She slanted a questioning glance his way. “I
enjoy designing beautiful yet useful buildings.” “Listen, I hate to rush this,” Max said, his words clipped, “but I have a client to meet in an
hour. Let me show you around.” He indicated for her to lead up the steps.
Bristling at his tone, Meredith pinned him with a stare. “Look, you don’t need to. It’s been a
while, true, but I have been here before. I know the layout. We can go.” Then she wouldn’t have
to go inside and relive the happy, carefree days of her childhood through the weary eyes of an
adult while Max watched. He shook his head, his dark chocolate hair touched with gray sweeping his collar, watching
her. “Things have changed. You may be surprised by what you find inside.” He tapped a hand
against one thigh and cocked his head to gaze at her for a long moment. “Either way, you should
take stock of what you’ve inherited.”
He didn’t appear much like a lawyer, truth be told. Didn’t lawyers wear prescription glasses
and look nerdy? Not that she believed in stereotypes, but all that studying must make their eyes
weak. Max was the other end of the spectrum. Perhaps her grandmother had a need for eye candy
when she chose him as her estate planner.
He was delicious to contemplate, that’s for sure. Probably a couple inches taller than a
cornstalk with a soccer player’s physique, Max could double for a cover model. She appreciated
his classic good looks, straight nose, and strong jaw. Dressed in khakis and a deep red polo shirt,
he seemed more ready for a round of golf than a client meeting. He represented the unattainable
type of man for her. The kind embodying something too smart, too handsome, too much for her
taste. Even if she were in the market for a man, which she was not. None of that mattered since
she would be staying in the area for a short while. Despite her hard shell of indifference to the
opposite sex, she couldn’t help a moment of succumbing to the temptation of drinking her fill of
his appearance. But only for an instant. If she let her guard down, her personal destruction would
soon follow.
“I don’t want to keep you, is all.” Meredith waved a hand at the vehicle. “I’m a big girl. Take
me to my car. I’ll come back on my own.”
“Actually, your grandmother made it clear she wanted me to show you around when you
claimed the place,” he replied. “She wanted to be sure you appreciate the extent of the inheritance
and had an opportunity to see how much work is needed to put it to rights. So, if you’ll follow
me?” He nipped up the steps, obviously expecting her to concede the point. “And Grandma always gets her way.” With a sigh, Meredith shadowed him through the white
double doors into the chilly front hall. She stopped inside the doorway to look around. The sickly
smell of mildew hit her senses like a wrecking ball, bringing tears that smarted the corners of her
eyes. Crossing the threshold was like stepping back in time to another era. “It’s exactly like I
remember. Well, except for the smell.” Max nodded. “Mrs. O’Connell prided herself on ensuring any necessary repairs matched the
original decor and architecture. But as time went on, she wasn’t able to keep up with the issues of
an old, historic home. A few repairs will be necessary. Your talents, skills, and expertise are why
she left Twin Oaks to you instead of your father. You know, so you can ensure the repairs are
appropriate to its original grandeur.” Dark wood floors reached throughout the plantation house. The stairs rose slowly from the
left, boasting dark wood treads with white painted fronts, up to a wraparound loft. A cherry table
sheltered against the wall beneath the stairs, showcasing a dainty crystal lamp centered on a lace
doily. She smiled, spying the small door standing invitingly ajar, leading to the games closet tucked
under the stairs. A colorful rug invited guests to cross the space toward the ladies parlor on the
right or the double parlor on the left. In days gone by, the gentlemen would have adjourned to the
larger retreat after dinner to smoke and drink. Farther down the hall leading from the foyer, light
spilled onto the wood floors from the windows in the back rooms. A chill settled on her shoulders.
The back room on the right had been her grandmother’s sewing room—her favorite spot in the
entire house—and the room in which she’d died, according to Max. Meredith shook off the thought
and focused instead on the condition of the house.
She moseyed into the parlor, noting the dusty, cobwebby, overstuffed chairs and dark wood
furniture. Faded and peeling, the rose-patterned wallpaper competed with the brocade drapes for
attention. Above the rose marble fireplace, she spotted the relief carving of the Irish Claddagh:
two hands reaching toward

the center where a heart wore a royal crown. Her grandmother loved
to tell stories about the Claddagh, representing bonds of love, friendship, and loyalty. She inhaled,
smelling dust and cold ashes from the fireplace mingled briefly with a faint yet familiar scent she
couldn’t place. She mentally shook her head. No matter.
Scanning the room, Meredith let her gaze touch each piece of antique furniture, each grimy
object d’art, each vase of tired silk flowers. The dismal scene before her contrasted sharply with
how everything once shone with loving attention. She had started debating selling the property
before she even packed her suitcase...

~~~

Undying love:

Secrets of Roseville

By Betty Bolte'

If her inheritance from her grandmother had come several years ago, she would have welcomed it as a new home for her family. But last year, in a horrible assault, a thief had murdered her husband. That was bad enough, but Meredith Reed had been pregnant and also been shot. She lived, but the baby was also murdered. Nothing had been able to allow Meredith to forget what she had lost and seeing what could have once been a place in which she would continue the family heritage was nothing more than a reminder of how many flashbacks still continued to haunt her...

The thing was that her grandmother had picked her out for the inheritance for a reason. Meredith was an architect and had won many awards on her work. Her grandmother anticipated that with the entire inheritance, including funds, that Meredith would work to bring their family home back to its original grandeur.

Family drama soon erupted, though, when Meredith's first decision was for herself--she wanted to build a memorial park to honor her lost family as well as all of her ancestors...and others... With Meredith being the younger child, her sister as well as her parents felt they had a right to try to stop her... The thing was that Meredith's plans included destroying their family home and turning the land back to natural use...

At first, I was concerned about the two main characters in particular. Meredith comes off as very selfish, yet as the story moves forward, she begins to open up to both the pain of her past as well as to being home once again, and with her family from whom she had pulled away from over the years...

The one character that also confuses us is Max, who is the estate lawyer. He was adamant that Meredith follow her grandmother's wishes and fulfill her duty! Not something Meredith was willing to even listen to at that time in her life. We do get to know more of Max's personal feelings and find that he has loved the property since he first saw it...and only wished that he had sufficient funds to have the ability to own such a home for his future... Of course, he also needed to find that wife to share that home. As is common, the two main characters do find themselves attracted to the other. But are arguing over much as the story proceeds.

The one thing that was able to pull Meredith into the present situation was that, first, she had seen a woman looking out from the second floor on the day she had arrived. Then as she started to clear things out, pending what she would do with the house, she found many books, letters and journals from her ancestors... When she arrived at the point where a family member had disappeared, she was hook into the intrigue and mystery of what had happened to her!

And when she realized that the missing woman had begun to be called the Lady in Blue, and it had been probably her at the window, Meredith wanted to know more, especially when she began to smell a scent--flowery, and nobody else seemed to be able to smell it, Meredith became convinced that she was being haunted...

Blending the historical past with its secrets is often an engaging read as we both go back into the beginning of the story hundreds of years ago, while at the same time, living in the present, trying to respond to today's issues within the historical background. There were hints throughout the book, but, for me, none of them stuck...so I was totally surprised with the conclusion of the Lady's secrets...

I was watching Meredith closely because everybody other than her thought it was crazy to raze the family home. Still with a tragic family loss recently that devastated the whole family, I could see and understand why Meredith could not--was not able to--deal with what everybody was expecting and pushing for her to do... It is a lesson that we must learn for ourselves, but which requires sympathy as well as empathy for those involved.

This multi-genre paranormal, historical, romance, mystery will pull you into the story after the first chapter or two. Max and Meredith are two independent, opinionated, and aggressive people who find a match in meeting each other. If you allow them to be themselves, with their own fears and desires, you'll be soon watching as the family drama, which includes, by the way, a wonderful couple who has helped on the estate for many years, pulls each character into merging, once again, as a loving family. Highly recommended.GABixlerReviews

Betty Bolté writes both historical and contemporary stories featuring strong, loving women and brave, compassionate men. No matter whether the stories are set in the past or the present, she loves to include a touch of the paranormal. In addition to her romantic fiction, she’s the author of several nonfiction books and earned a Master’s in English in 2008. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, the Historical Novel Society, the Women’s Fiction Writers Association, and the Authors Guild. Get to know her at www.bettybolte.com.

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6/17 Just saw your review on Amazon and then visited your site. Holy Smoke! As usual, I was amazed at what a fabulous job you did, reviewing the book and adding in all that related material. I was particularly thrilled that you included the book trailer I put on Utube. You adding it to your review made me very happy. In fact, I had a big smile on my face the whole time I looked at what you'd done. I even listened to the violin concerto and watched the video of Dog Hill. Every year it gets harder and harder to bring a new book to the attention of potential readers. I consider myself extremely fortunate to have you as an ally in that endeavor. Thank you so much for all you do for me and for other writers. There's no-one else like you. And that's no exaggeration.With profound gratitude, I remain, Your Friend, Don

Thank you. Your commitment to your craft is wonderful. Whether it's one star or 5, your reviews are detailed, considerate, and most of all, beneficial to the prospective reader.

What an amazing presentation. Stellar. I never expected anything like that.

Do you have a separate link that I can share? I'd love to post this everywhere I can. You did such a fabulous job.cheers Connie

Thank you so much for your glowing review of my new book. Your review really highlighted all the things that I try to incorporate in my books - they're the very things I want as a reader. I'm nearly finished writing the next book in the series - Walker and Munoz are back, and interestingly as you referenced in your review, this time it's personal. Again, thank you.

I'd read your amazing review before I looked at my Facebook page and was blessed. Hitting the link you posted, I was surprised for few would have gone to so much trouble, fewer still know that Lauren Bacall (born Betty Joan Perske) was Sephardic and bequeathed a large amount of primary source information about the Sephardim to a university, which I was able to view online when corroborating Naomi's story. Your review stands as one of the highlights of this profoundly dyslectic authors’ life. Thank & bless you heart emoticon

I thought I'd reach out to you for your heartfelt review on my novel. It was beautiful and brought tears to my eyes that someone was so moved by my tale... That it resonated that deeply with someone. Thanks for letting me know I'm not alone. Signed...

Wow, this is the most awesome blog post I've ever seen. Thank you for writing it! grin emoticon

I was thrilled with the details you offered in my review - like a literary movie trailer built on suspense and intrigue. I'm glad you're still reviewing books by aspiring authors like me. We need people like you! Keep up the good work and maintain that passion, Glenda!

Words fail me. Hi Glenda, I visited your review website today and was thrilled to see your marvelous features relating to Ms. Cramer's book. I passed them along to the author, and she is very excited and deeply grateful for your attention.

Your review of the book is wonderfully anecdotal and insightful, and it will be helpful I believe as an introduction to readers approaching Ms. Cramer's work for the first time. I found the opening of the review to be quite touching, with a wonderful sense of personal experience that I believe is all too often missing in critical review publication. In the context of the article, your remembrances from childhood add a truly beautiful layer to the photopoem you present.We're very impressed by what you put together using the press kit materials, and we will do our best to provide exposure for your features through our mailing list and other avenues.I do look forward to reading your articles in the future.We appreciate your considering our book and thank you very much for your fine and generous review coverage,

Saw the review and treatment of THE BLOOD BETRAYAL on your site. Once again, you've amazed me with what you do. Fantastic, fabulous… No, those words aren't good enough to describe your work and you.

I wrote up a short piece about what you did, directing people to your site from mine. That was really interesting and something I've never seen anyone do before. Great job, and I'm glad you enjoyed the novel.

Yo my truly heartfelt thank you for your very generous and kind review! I appreciate very much the time and effort you put into this review for me, and your so graciously posting it in multiple locations.

Your blogsite is extremely professional and well-done! What you posted for me there has completely blown me away!

Thank you again very much for such a comprehensive and thoroughly entertaining review. It's one of the best reviews I have received and I'm very proud to have it. Most Gratefully,

Glenda, You review blew my mind. When I listened to the songs you inserted, they brought tears to my eyes. You added a dimension to my work that was missing. In the attachment I have attempted to answer your question about anger. Thank you so much for your raving review. There are no words in the English language to express the gratitude I feel for you. I wish you a wonderful and blessed day.

I've been sitting in my chair for nearly fifteen minutes, stuck in an infinite loop of visual digestion and stunned amazement because of what you put together on your site for The Doppler Affect review. The time alone that you put into crafting the page is humbling, but the creativity and flair adds a layer I've never seen in reviews. Of course, the frosting of your very positive evaluation makes it the best cake I've eaten yet! I was also amazed at how you could step away from any biases due to your preferred genre and frame it for others...thank you. My newest book, Patriot's Point, will be released imminently. The publisher wants to know if I knew of any one in particular who has blogs or review sites that I would want to use. I immediately thought of you. Thanks, Doug

Glenda, I am truly in awe of your reviews and your review style. I have never seen anyone do a review as you can do one. I was entertained, informed, enlightened and amazed. There should be awards for creative, insightful and captivating reviews -- and you should be a recipient. Thanks for reviewing my book. And thanks for giving it an aura and image and feel that only your review could give it. I am very appreciative. All the best, Patrick

During the period of time that you requested my story, I also had other blog sites asking for the book as well. I had received three eviews prior to yours, and although I am very happy to report that all three were positive and enthusiastic, your entire presentation of the book, from the actual commentary to the ambitious visuals, blew me away and has left me emotionally weak-kneed in gratitude. I am extremely touched by all that you had to say and how you visually presented the concept of the book. Please note that I will place your website on the book's Facebook page which will hopefully bring your blog site more readership. Again, please know how grateful I am for your emotionally thrilling review. You have certainly made my day, Glenda! With much appreciation, Author/The Poe Consequence

I wanted to make sure I got a chance to properly thank you for posting the wonderful review of The Medici Boy! It was terrific, not just because you like the book (thank you) but because your analysis was thoughtful and honest. You put your heart into it, (Photos were out of this world) and you wrote like a friend would (we think that’s the very best kind of review). I appreciate your time and passion for literature! We’ve been promoting the site, since you went live, and we’re going to continue to promote your site on Social Media throughout the month. Senior Publicist Blue Dot Literary

Dear Glenda, I have to start this response with a BIG WOW! I have been very gratified with my experience as a new writer for both my books now and am working on a third. However, your review is like nothing I've ever seen, and I consider it a great piece of writing and creativity in itself. Thank you so very much for your kind words and treatment of Millstone. Once again, thank you for this review. I plan to pass it on in every venue available to me. My best wishes to you JackH

Thank you so much for your glowing review of my new book. Your review really highlighted all the things that I try to incorporate in my books - they're the very things I want as a reader. I'm nearly finished writing the next book in the series - Walker and Munoz are back, and interestingly as you referenced in your review, this time it's personal. Again, thank you.

I'd read your amazing review before I looked at my Facebook page and was blessed. Hitting the link you posted, I was surprised for few would have gone to so much trouble, fewer still know that Lauren Bacall (born Betty Joan Perske) was Sephardic and bequeathed a large amount of primary source information about the Sephardim to a university, which I was able to view online when corroborating Naomi's story. Your review stands as one of the highlights of this profoundly dyslectic authors’ life. Thank & bless you heart emoticon

I thought I'd reach out to you for your heartfelt review on my novel. It was beautiful and brought tears to my eyes that someone was so moved by my tale... That it resonated that deeply with someone. Thanks for letting me know I'm not alone. Signed...

JAFV I am stunned...

Wow, this is the most awesome blog post I've ever seen. Thank you for writing it! grin emoticon

I was thrilled with the details you offered in my review - like a literary movie trailer built on suspense and intrigue. I'm glad you're still reviewing books by aspiring authors like me. We need people like you! Keep up the good work and maintain that passion, Glenda!

Words fail me.

Hi Glenda, I visited your review website today and was thrilled to see your marvelous features relating to Ms. Cramer's book. I passed them along to the author, and she is very excited and deeply grateful for your attention.

Your review of the book is wonderfully anecdotal and insightful, and it will be helpful I believe as an introduction to readers approaching Ms. Cramer's work for the first time. I found the opening of the review to be quite touching, with a wonderful sense of personal experience that I believe is all too often missing in critical review publication. In the context of the article, your remembrances from childhood add a truly beautiful layer to the photopoem you present.We're very impressed by what you put together using the press kit materials, and we will do our best to provide exposure for your features through our mailing list and other avenues.I do look forward to reading your articles in the future.We appreciate your considering our book and thank you very much for your fine and generous review coverage,

Saw the review and treatment of THE BLOOD BETRAYAL on your site. Once again, you've amazed me with what you do. Fantastic, fabulous… No, those words aren't good enough to describe your work and you.

I wrote up a short piece about what you did, directing people to your site from mine. That was really interesting and something I've never seen anyone do before. Great job, and I'm glad you enjoyed the novel.

..my truly heartfelt thank you for your very generous and kind review! I appreciate very much the time and effort you put into this review for me, and your so graciously posting it in multiple locations.

Your blogsite is extremely professional and well-done! What you posted for me there has completely blown me away!

Thank you again very much for such a comprehensive and thoroughly entertaining review. It's one of the best reviews I have received and I'm very proud to have it. Most Gratefully,

You review blew my mind. When I listened to the songs you inserted, they brought tears to my eyes. You added a dimension to my work that was missing. In the attachment I have attempted to answer your question about anger. Thank you so much for your raving review. There are no words in the English language to express the gratitude I feel for you. I wish you a wonderful and blessed day. James Womack

WOW! What a beautiful post you did for ALMOST PERFECT ON YOUR I can’t imagine how much time you must have taken to create some thing so imaginative and special. I feel truly humbled and touched and quite unequal to saying how much it meant to me. A real present. You must be a very special person. I wish you were my neighbor and we could have a real chat over coffee. Maybe someday. But meanwhile know how wonderful your work made me feel and buoyed to keep on keeping on! Diane

I wanted to make sure I got a chance to properly thank you for posting the wonderful review of The Medici Boy! It was terrific, not just because you like the book (thank you) but because your analysis was thoughtful and honest. You put your heart into it, (Photos were out of this world) and you wrote like a friend would (we think that’s the very best kind of review). I appreciate your time and passion for literature! We’ve been promoting the site, since you went live, and we’re going to continue to promote your site on Social Media throughout the month. Senior Publicist Blue Dot Literary